Trump states Ukraine will not be admitted to NATO
US President Donald Trump has expressed his support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks emphasizing that Kiev needs to “accept the reality.” Read Full Article at RT.com.
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The assessment made by the Pentagon chief regarding Kiev's position is considered “pretty accurate” by US President Donald Trump.
Trump has shown support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks, which indicated that Ukraine needs to recognize that a return to pre-2014 borders is not realistic and that NATO membership is not a viable option for the country.
During a media briefing before a meeting of the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels on Wednesday, Hegseth characterized Kiev’s aim of regaining all lost territories as “unrealistic” and emphasized that Ukraine should prepare for a negotiated peace. He noted that while international troop support might be considered, NATO membership would not be part of any agreement.
Hegseth also addressed media criticisms suggesting the US was “betraying” Ukraine, stating, “It’s just a cheap political point to say, oh, we’ve left all the negotiating cards off the table by recognizing some realities that exist on the ground.”
When questioned whether he had instructed Hegseth to tone down his comments to maintain “bargaining chips,” Trump told the press at the White House that he had not.
“Somebody told me to, but I thought his comments were good yesterday. They’re probably good today. They’re a little bit softer, perhaps. But I thought his comments from yesterday were pretty accurate,” Trump remarked.
He added, “I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow them, just in their position, could allow them to join NATO. I don’t see that happening,” attributing the conflict to the NATO ambitions supported by his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Moscow has persistently opposed Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, regarding the alliance's eastward expansion as a threat to its national security and as a significant contributor to the ongoing conflict with Kiev. The Kremlin has maintained that Ukraine must adopt a neutral status as part of any future peace deal.
This is not the first instance of Trump expressing an understanding of Russia’s viewpoint. He previously mentioned to reporters in Florida last month that Moscow’s stance on NATO is essentially “written in stone.”
After a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, which marked their first confirmed contact since Trump returned to the White House, he reiterated this perspective. Trump also engaged in a conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on the same day. However, the decision to negotiate directly with Putin has reportedly left officials in Kiev and the EU feeling marginalized.
The US president announced that he and Putin had agreed to initiate discussions aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict and suggested that a meeting between the two leaders might occur soon. Following their conversation, the Kremlin confirmed its willingness for peace talks but emphasized that addressing the root causes of the conflict is crucial for any sustainable resolution.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
Trump has shown support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks, which indicated that Ukraine needs to recognize that a return to pre-2014 borders is not realistic and that NATO membership is not a viable option for the country.
During a media briefing before a meeting of the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels on Wednesday, Hegseth characterized Kiev’s aim of regaining all lost territories as “unrealistic” and emphasized that Ukraine should prepare for a negotiated peace. He noted that while international troop support might be considered, NATO membership would not be part of any agreement.
Hegseth also addressed media criticisms suggesting the US was “betraying” Ukraine, stating, “It’s just a cheap political point to say, oh, we’ve left all the negotiating cards off the table by recognizing some realities that exist on the ground.”
When questioned whether he had instructed Hegseth to tone down his comments to maintain “bargaining chips,” Trump told the press at the White House that he had not.
“Somebody told me to, but I thought his comments were good yesterday. They’re probably good today. They’re a little bit softer, perhaps. But I thought his comments from yesterday were pretty accurate,” Trump remarked.
He added, “I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow them, just in their position, could allow them to join NATO. I don’t see that happening,” attributing the conflict to the NATO ambitions supported by his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Moscow has persistently opposed Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, regarding the alliance's eastward expansion as a threat to its national security and as a significant contributor to the ongoing conflict with Kiev. The Kremlin has maintained that Ukraine must adopt a neutral status as part of any future peace deal.
This is not the first instance of Trump expressing an understanding of Russia’s viewpoint. He previously mentioned to reporters in Florida last month that Moscow’s stance on NATO is essentially “written in stone.”
After a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, which marked their first confirmed contact since Trump returned to the White House, he reiterated this perspective. Trump also engaged in a conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on the same day. However, the decision to negotiate directly with Putin has reportedly left officials in Kiev and the EU feeling marginalized.
The US president announced that he and Putin had agreed to initiate discussions aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict and suggested that a meeting between the two leaders might occur soon. Following their conversation, the Kremlin confirmed its willingness for peace talks but emphasized that addressing the root causes of the conflict is crucial for any sustainable resolution.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
